Salvia plant named ‘Rhapsody in Blue’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named ‘Rhapsody in Blue’, characterized by its upright and relatively compact plant habit; very freely basal branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering habit; and blue violet-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Salvia hybrida cultivarRhapsody in Blue.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salviaplant, botanically known as Salvia hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Rhapsody in Blue’.

The new Salvia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Hummelo, The Netherlands. The objective of the breedingprogram was to create new compact Salvia cultivars with numerous flowerswith attractive coloration.

The new Salvia originated from a self-pollination made by the Inventorduring the summer of 1999 of the Salvia hybrida cultivar Amathyst, notpatented. The new Salvia was discovered and selected by the Inventorduring the spring of 2000 as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the stated self-pollination grown in a controlled environment inHummelo, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings and divisions takenat Hummelo, The Netherlands, since the summer of 2000, has shown thatthe unique features of this new Salvia are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Rhapsody in Blue have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Rhapsody in Blue’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ as a newand distinct Salvia cultivar:

1. Upright and relatively compact plant habit.

2. Very freely basal branching, dense and bushy plant form.

3. Freely flowering habit.

4. Blue violet-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Salvia are more compact than plants of the cultivarAmathyst.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Salvia. The photograph comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ grown in aoutdoor nursery.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants shown in the aforementioned photograph and used in the followingdescription were grown under conditions which closely approximatecommercial production conditions during the late spring in an outdoornursery in Lisserbroek, The Netherlands. During the production of theplants, day temperatures ranged from 14 to 25° C. and night temperaturesranged from 4 to 16° C. Plants in the photograph and used for thedescription were about one year old when the photograph and descriptionwere taken. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Salvia hybrida cultivar Rhapsody in Blue.

Parentage: Self-pollination of the Salvia hybrida cultivar Amathyst, notpatented.

Propagation:

Type.—By cuttings.

Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 60 days at 16 to 22° C.

Root description.—Thick.

Plant description:

Form.—Perennial. Upright and relatively compact plant habit; broadinverted triangle. Very freely basal branching with about 37 floweringstems per plant; dense and bushy plant habit; moderately vigorous growthhabit. Numerous flowers arranged in verticillasters on crowded spikes.

Plant height.—About 62 cm.

Plant width.—About 62 cm.

Flowering stem description.—Length: About 52 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.Internode length: About 12 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Denselypubescence. Color: 143A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length: About 12.5cm. Width: About 5.6 cm. Shape: Ovate, elongated. Apex: Acute. Base:Cordate. Margin: Crenate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Finepubescence; rugose. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Fragrance: When rubbed,sage-like. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:137A. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137B.Venation, upper surface: 144B to 144C. Venation, lower surface: 144B.Petiole length: About 3.8 cm. Petiole diameter: About 3 mm. Petiolecolor: 144B.

Flower description:

Flower arrangement and shape.—Single labiate flowers in verticillasterson spikes; flowers face outwardly. Freely flowering, flowers in whorlsof six; about 78 flowers per spike.

Natural flowering season.—Continuous from mid-May into July in TheNetherlands.

Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about five dayson the plant. Flowers not persistent.

Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape: Ovoid.Color: 93A.

Inflorescence size.—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About 4.4 cm.

Flowers.—Diameter: About 1.6 cm by 7 mm. Depth (height): About 2.4 cm.

Petals.—Arrangement: Labiate; one upper lip and one lower lip with threelobes; lips fused at the base. Length: Upper petal: About 1.9 cm. Lowerpetal: About 1.7 cm. Width: Upper petal: About 1 mm. Lower petal: About7 mm. Shape: Upper petal: Broadly elliptic. Lower petal: Spatulate.Apex: Upper petal: Emarginate. Lower petal: Rounded. Margin, upper andlower petals: Entire. Texture, upper and lower petals: Pubescent. Color:Upper petal: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 93C. Whenopening and fully opened, lower surface: 93A. Lower petal: When openingand fully opened, upper surface: 93B with central spot, 86A. Whenopening and fully opened, lower surface: 93B with central spot, 86A.

Sepals.—Arrangement: Five sepals fused into a tube. Length: About 9 mm.Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color: When opening, uppersurface: 146A. When opening, lower surface: 187A. Fully opened, uppersurface: 143C with longitudinal stripes, 143A. Fully opened, lowersurface: 138A.

Flower bracts.—Quantity per verticillaster: Two. Length: About 1.3 cm.Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Apiculate. Texture, upper andlower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: 144A to144B.

Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 62 cm. Diameter: About 2.5cm. Aspect: Mostly upright. Color: 143A; towards the apex, N187A.

Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.Aspect: About 45° from vertical. Color: 138A.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two. Anther shape:Narrowly elliptic. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: 183A.Filament length: About 1.3 cm. Filament color: N88D. Pollen amount: Noneobserved. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.2cm. Stigma shape: Two-parted, cleft. Stigma color: 93A. Style length:About 2 cm. Style color: 92D. Ovary color: N144A.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Salvia have not been noted tobe resistant to pathogens and pests common to Salvia.

Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Salvia have exhibited goodtolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to toleratetemperatures from −25 to 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named‘Rhapsody in Blue’, as illustrated and described.